Police kill estranged husband, ID slain wife

Lincolnton police tracked a murder suspect to Colonial Village Thursday night. The man held officers at bay, and the county SWAT team was called in. The man was ultimately shot and killed. (Photo by Gazette news partner WSOC)

By Diane Turbyfill

Published: Friday, March 28, 2014 at 06:41 AM.

A police standoff ended early Friday morning when officers fatally shot a Lincolnton man they say admitted to shooting his estranged wife who had been found dead at her home hours earlier.

Lincolnton Police say Anthony Ray Osburn, 40, admitted to shooting his estranged wife, Tara Lynn Osburn, 39, during a more than two-hour standoff at the Lantern Ridge Apartments, which ended with him being fatally shot just after 12:30 a.m. Friday.

Police were looking for Anthony Ray Osburn to question him about his estranged wife, who had been found at 6:05 p.m. on Thursday fatally shot at a side entry to her home at 876 Salem Church Road, Lincolnton.

Two Lincolnton detectives, Ashley Boyles and Dennis Harris, drove to Colonial Village Apartments off of North Aspen Street to speak with Anthony Ray Osburn, according to a release from the Lincolnton Police Department.

“The detectives requested a marked patrol vehicle respond to the scene to assist because they believe the estranged husband may attempt to flee,” stated the release.

When the patrol officer arrived, he got behind a gray truck Osburn was driving. When both vehicles stopped, the officer asked Osburn to show his hands, but Osburn pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and fired at the officer.

The officer returned fire, but neither the officer nor Osburn were injured. Osburn then ran into his home at the Lantern Ridge Apartments, according to a police witness.

Police officers set up a perimeter and called in the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team. After taking residents who lived in the other apartments away from the scene, police began negotiating with Osburn in an attempt to get him to surrender.

At one point, Osburn stood on his porch with his body obscured by a doorframe. Police could see a semi-automatic handgun in his left hand, according to the release. During this time, Osburn reportedly admitted to killing his wife.

“At one point, Anthony Ray Osburn refused to negotiate further and told officers, ‘give me 5 minutes and you can come in and get my dead body,’” stated the release.

He then went back into his apartment and Lincoln County SWAT officers shot tear gas into the residence. Officers and Osburn exchanged gunfire, with Osburn shooting from a window.

Just after 12:30 a.m., Osburn came out of the apartment and exchanged gunfire again with officers. He was fatally shot and pronounced dead at the scene, according to the release.

The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation will handle the investigation into the man’s death, a normal procedure in any officer-involved shooting.

You can reach Diane Turbyfill at 704-869-1817 and Twitter.com/GazetteDiane. Online Editor Kevin Ellis contributed to this report.

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A police standoff ended early Friday morning when officers fatally shot a Lincolnton man they say admitted to shooting his estranged wife who had been found dead at her home hours earlier.

Lincolnton Police say Anthony Ray Osburn, 40, admitted to shooting his estranged wife, Tara Lynn Osburn, 39, during a more than two-hour standoff at the Lantern Ridge Apartments, which ended with him being fatally shot just after 12:30 a.m. Friday.

Police were looking for Anthony Ray Osburn to question him about his estranged wife, who had been found at 6:05 p.m. on Thursday fatally shot at a side entry to her home at 876 Salem Church Road, Lincolnton.

Two Lincolnton detectives, Ashley Boyles and Dennis Harris, drove to Colonial Village Apartments off of North Aspen Street to speak with Anthony Ray Osburn, according to a release from the Lincolnton Police Department.

“The detectives requested a marked patrol vehicle respond to the scene to assist because they believe the estranged husband may attempt to flee,” stated the release.

When the patrol officer arrived, he got behind a gray truck Osburn was driving. When both vehicles stopped, the officer asked Osburn to show his hands, but Osburn pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and fired at the officer.

The officer returned fire, but neither the officer nor Osburn were injured. Osburn then ran into his home at the Lantern Ridge Apartments, according to a police witness.

Police officers set up a perimeter and called in the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team. After taking residents who lived in the other apartments away from the scene, police began negotiating with Osburn in an attempt to get him to surrender.

At one point, Osburn stood on his porch with his body obscured by a doorframe. Police could see a semi-automatic handgun in his left hand, according to the release. During this time, Osburn reportedly admitted to killing his wife.

“At one point, Anthony Ray Osburn refused to negotiate further and told officers, ‘give me 5 minutes and you can come in and get my dead body,’” stated the release.

He then went back into his apartment and Lincoln County SWAT officers shot tear gas into the residence. Officers and Osburn exchanged gunfire, with Osburn shooting from a window.

Just after 12:30 a.m., Osburn came out of the apartment and exchanged gunfire again with officers. He was fatally shot and pronounced dead at the scene, according to the release.

The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation will handle the investigation into the man’s death, a normal procedure in any officer-involved shooting.

You can reach Diane Turbyfill at 704-869-1817 and Twitter.com/GazetteDiane. Online Editor Kevin Ellis contributed to this report.